Art exhibition

Published:13:26Thursday 23 August 2012

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An exhibition by Laurencekirk artist D E Johnston has opened at the Bank Street Gallery, Kirriemuir.

There are 20 paintings in the show whose title ‘By Shore and Field Edge’ reflects the theme of the exhibition. Though there are one or two pieces from earlier years, almost all the work has been produced in the last two years. As the title suggests, the work is inspired by the Mearns landscape and the shore at St Cyrus.

Mr Johnston said: Having been preoccupied with the intricate detail of field edges in the Summer and Autumn of last year, I wanted to work in a freer, more expressive style. A period of calm, clear weather in January of 2012 provided the basis for a series of seascapes where detail is pared down and the subject is the stark beauty of the light itself.”

Gallery owner, Susie Clark identified the diverse influences on Johnston’s approach to landscape as those of Joan Eardley, whose paintings of Catterline field edges were inspirational; Andrew Wyeth, whose work displays a similar preoccupation with a sense of time and place and the Scottish watercolourist William Gillies whose approach to painting on the spot has influenced D E Johnston’s working method.

In her Introduction to the Exhibition, Susie Clark comments: These inspirations, whilst not immediately discernible in Johnston’s work, are manifest – look carefully at his images, his attention to detail and his engagement with time. Like Eardley, this Mearns artist is captivated by the land and sea. Like Wyeth, he is fascinated by time. Being self-taught, however, ensures that Johnston’s approach is unique.